Game Over: Is Patrik Laine the Odd Man Out in Montreal?

Right now, the chatter around the Montreal Canadiens is that Patrik Laine might not actually play another game in a Habs sweater. In fact, the more you look at what’s happening, the more it feels like the writing’s already on the wall.

---

Laine’s Getting Close to Returning, But Will He?

Laine’s been practicing, getting closer to being fully cleared, doing everything you’d expect from a guy working his way back from core muscle surgery. But even as he inches toward being healthy, the noise is that Montreal isn’t really planning on reintegrating him. Hockey insiders keep suggesting the same thing: once the Olympic roster freeze lifts, the Canadiens are going to try to move him rather than plug him into the top nine.

It’s a wild twist for someone who once looked like a potential long-term scoring piece — but the team around him has changed. Montreal’s deeper, healthier, and honestly, they don’t need him the way they might’ve last year.

The Canadiens Forward Units Are Back and Producing

Think about it. Kirby Dach, Jake Evans, and Alex Newhook are all back and rolling. The team sits near the top of the Atlantic and is scoring more than enough without Laine ever touching the ice. If you’re GM Kent Hughes, that suddenly makes Laine feel like a luxury. Or, from another perspective, he may be extra luggage.

But can the Canadiens move him? One problem is the contract. That $8.7 million cap hit looms over everything. It’s not that Laine isn’t talented, because he absolutely is. But teams get nervous about adding that kind of number when the player hasn’t been consistently healthy. Montreal seems ready to retain salary, maybe even up to half, to help things along. What they won’t do, according to reports, is throw in a sweetener. They still believe he has value, and honestly, that feels fair.

So, Has Laine Played His Last Game for the Canadiens?

Has Laine already played his last game for the Canadiens? It feels possible. Maybe even likely. There’s been no public declaration either way, but the overall vibe is hard to miss: Montreal is preparing for life without him, and Laine might be preparing for a fresh start somewhere else.

If a deal gets done, it’s not about giving up on talent. It’s about fit. The Canadiens are building something younger, faster, and more balanced. Laine could still thrive somewhere. But it just may not be in Montreal’s version of the future.

Related: Canucks O’Connor for Mangiapane Makes No Sense, Unless